I am the Managing Director of Polaris Publishing, and the Digital, Export and Sports Manager for Birlinn Ltd – two Edinburgh-based publishing houses.
The purpose of this blog is to unveil a little of what I do and how the publishing world works. I hope that you find it interesting.

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Tuesday, 31 January 2012

Things I Like This Week - January 31, 2012

- No sooner do I write a blog piece on SOPA and PIPA than they are both derailed by the global online community. I think it’s fair to say that my input was clearly the turning point. You can thank me later, world. Next stop, ACTA; I’m coming for you…

Online piracy remains a battle-ground that has still to be won, but at least the potential fallout from SOPA and PIPA has been recognised and avoided. There will be other bills; no doubt many of them. But future policy-makers will at least now be aware of the public fear that such blanket acts will irrevocably impinge on their freedom of speech, expression and creativity. Well at least I hope they’re aware, otherwise it’s all going to start again.

- Twitter recruitment video. Brilliant.

- Another book sculptor! And this time cropping up in Edinburgh. Beautiful and enigmatic – with a tip of the hat to Banksy with the secret identity. Truly stunning – I want.

- Lionel Richie’s ‘Hello’ – someone has spent an incredible amount of time putting this together. Time well spent, I say…

- Canongate TV. Canongate are a remarkable company in many ways and this new approach to their website is inspired. Check out this video for one their books, Little Hands Clapping, published last year. Delightful:

- I’ve raved about this before, but it really is a beautiful app and demonstrates the best utilisation of the iPad’s functionality that I’ve seen so far:

- We’re only a few days away from the Six Nations, but I’m still reeling from the epic final few days of the 2012 Australian Open. I thought the Andy Murray–Novak Djokovic semi-final was seismic; it was, incredibly, surpassed by the final. See this super article on Djokovic’s staggering encounter with Rafa Nadal:

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